Info about We Were Here Forever:

Official game description:
You and your fellow prisoner are trapped in the realm of Castle Rock - were you betrayed, or simply not that clever? To escape, you must explore the sinister castle for puzzles and plot your escape together. Secrets and riddles are hidden in the shadows. Just be aware that nothing is what it seems in this mysterious Antarctic adventure. Can you two escape together, or will you be trapped… forever?  
Locked up in the dungeons, deep in the bowels of Castle Rock, you and a fellow prisoner must seek a way out and return to stand again beneath the icy Antarctic skies - but escaping this nightmare will not be so easy, let alone escaping the castle itself. Freeing yourselves from your cells and escaping the Keep is only the beginning - but does one truly escape Castle Rock? Fresh mysteries await, and you’ll have to make some choices about how to proceed. Your journey leads from the dark prison through the royal halls to the outside. Outside the Keep, you will discover the story of Rockbury, it’s inhabitants, and plans of a resistance formed against the King to escape this icy place. Hope will lead you on to an eerie Graveyard and have you descend down into the dark waters of the Foundry.  
You two have been brought here for a purpose. You might even be the missing piece of a puzzle set in motion long ago, in a time long forgotten. But someone, or something, desperately seeks to solve that puzzle, by any means necessary. Only an unshakeable bond with your partner will give you any hope of survival in the face of such dreadful desire…  
**Does one truly escape Castle Rock?**
Feature list
------------
*   _Two player co-op:_ the puzzles you encounter take two to solve - you both have a role to play! Communicate via walkie-talkies, and act as each other’s eyes and ears  
*   _Connect through experience:_ when you find yourself in sudden danger, will you freeze, or can you keep cool and explain things clearly to your friend - before your time runs out…  
*   _On the edge of your seat:_ be part of a thrilling adventure in the lively world of Castle Rock as you and your friend take on the ancient powers aligned against you  
*   _Spine-tingling story:_ there is much to discover… and much to fear - you’ve met the Jester, but is he even the most powerful being within the walls of Castle Rock?  
    **NOTE: This game is co-op only. It requires both players to have a working PC-compatible microphone and an internet connection.**
    Talk
    ----
    _Your voice is all you have... at first._  
    You and your fellow prisoner must escape from Castle Rock and uncover an ancient mystery. All you have to start with is a pair of walkie-talkies - can you work together on the same wavelength?
    Solve
    -----
    _Two partners, one purpose. Get on the same page!_  
    Immerse yourself in an intriguing cooperative experience as you and your partner puzzle your way through a series of thrilling situations. Search for a way out through brand new environments, together.
    Escape
    ------
    _The King awaits us..._  
    The frozen grounds and dark chambers of Castle Rock hold many secrets and hidden dangers. Unravel the web you find yourself trapped within, for there are hungry eyes watching. The fallen king of the castle has plans for you… can you truly escape from his sinister grasp?  
    Every game in the We Were Here Series is a standalone co-op adventure – the stories are connected but you don’t need to play them in order. You can also learn more about the history of Castle Rock in the We Were Here Stories: Chronicles of Castle Rock - a six part live-action video series available on the Total Mayhem Games YouTube.

Release date: May 10, 2022

Categories: Cooperative Multiplayer, Puzzle Solving, Deductive Reasoning Puzzle, Narrative Adventure, Story-driven Gameplay, Atmospheric Horror, Communication-based Gameplay

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement in Instructional Data; summary: The game suffers from complex mechanics that are not well-explained in-game, leading players to rely heavily on external guides. This lack of instructional data and poor in-game explanations significantly impacts the user experience, making it difficult for players to progress without additional help.
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals a mix of experiences with the game on Steam Deck. While some users report frequent bugs and stability issues that hinder gameplay, others have had a positive experience with smooth performance and simple controls. The technical issues, such as bugs and lack of interface support, are significant barriers that affect the overall user experience.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The game performs well on Windows systems with 12-15GB VRAM, with reports of smooth gameplay and low latency.
  - Sample size: 36 (1% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (positive, 9 reports): Smooth gameplay and low latency reported.
  - Caveats: 36 of 2416 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows that many users find the game worth the money, even at full price, indicating a high perceived value. Several reviews mention that the game is worth every penny and recommend it even at full price, suggesting that the community considers the game to be of high value. Additionally, some reviews suggest waiting for a discount, indicating that while the game is valuable, there is a segment of the community that finds the current price slightly high but still reasonable with a discount.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 13.5h
  - Story completion: 12.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct statements about the playtime for 'We Were Here Forever.' The first quote mentions it took 'well over 14 hours to complete the title for the first time,' which aligns with the game completion time. The second quote explicitly states a completion time of 11 hours. The third quote mentions a playtime of about 15 hours, which supports the game completion time. The fourth quote states it takes about 13 hours to complete the game, reinforcing the game completion time. These quotes collectively provide a strong basis for estimating the game completion and story completion times. There is no direct evidence for session length or endgame hours, so those fields are marked as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is highly enjoyable and engaging when played cooperatively with friends or partners, emphasizing communication and teamwork.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Effective communication and teamwork during cooperative puzzle-solving.
  - Time to anchor: 0h 30m
  - Friction: Complex and cryptic puzzles; Frustration from lack of communication
  - Unlock drivers: Effective communication; Teamwork
  - Conditions: Playing with friends or a partner; Good communication; Cooperative mindset
- Player Archetypes:
  - Co-op Puzzle Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying cooperative puzzle-solving with friends or loved ones.
    - Playstyle: Collaborative and communicative, focusing on solving puzzles together.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: newcomer; co-op enthusiast
    - Reference games: We Were Here series
  - Series Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Appreciating the evolution and improvements in the series.
    - Playstyle: Analytical and experienced, enjoying the deeper and more complex aspects of the game.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: series veteran; co-op enthusiast
    - Reference games: We Were Here series
  - Co-op Partner (buy)
    - Motivation: Strengthening relationships through shared gaming experiences.
    - Playstyle: Cooperative and communicative, focusing on the shared experience.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: co-op partner; relationship builder
    - Reference games: We Were Here series; other co-op games
  - Achievement Hunter (sale)
    - Motivation: Completing all aspects of the game and unlocking achievements.
    - Playstyle: Thorough and explorative, focusing on completing all tasks and challenges.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: achievement hunter; completionist
    - Reference games: We Were Here series; other achievement-rich games


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Engaging and varied puzzles (weight 0.41): The game offers a wide range of unique and creative puzzles that are both challenging and fun. Players appreciate the mix of difficulty and enjoyment, making it a favorite among puzzle lovers.
- Excellent cooperative experience (weight 0.39): The game is praised for its fun and rewarding cooperative gameplay. Players enjoy the teamwork and communication required to solve puzzles together, making it a memorable cooperative adventure.
- Enjoyable gameplay experience (weight 0.3): The game provides an enjoyable and engaging gameplay experience, with a high replayability factor. Players find the atmosphere and overall gameplay to be satisfying and entertaining.
- Beautiful art style (weight 0.26): The game is visually pleasing with a beautiful art style and great graphics. The art and music contribute to an immersive and enjoyable atmosphere.
- Challenging tasks (weight 0.24): The game provides challenging but solvable puzzles that require communication, patience, and teamwork. Players find the challenges to be worth the effort.
- Emotional storytelling (weight 0.21): The game features an emotional and engaging story, with a dynamic finale that leaves a lasting impression on players.
- Best in the series (weight 0.18): Many players consider this game to be the best in its series, citing its length, quality, and overall experience as reasons for this acclaim.
- Good value for price (weight 0.16): Players feel that the game is worth the price, offering a great length and a fantastic puzzle adventure that provides good value for money.

Common complaints:
- Puzzles are too difficult (weight 0.4): Many players found the puzzles to be overly complex, confusing, and frustrating. Some puzzles were perceived as illogical and not fun, with a few being particularly challenging and abstract.
- Game bugs and glitches (weight 0.15): Several players reported encountering bugs and glitches that impacted gameplay, with some finding the game unplayable due to these issues. Audio problems were also mentioned.
- Unclear hints and clues (weight 0.15): The hints and clues provided in the game were often unclear and easy to miss, leading to confusion and difficulty in progressing through the puzzles and storyline.
- Lack of proper saving and storyline (weight 0.13): Players noted the absence of a proper saving system, including no auto-save feature, and a lack of a clear storyline or logical goals, which made the game confusing and less enjoyable.
- Server and connectivity issues (weight 0.11): Players experienced various server-related problems, including unstable servers, connection issues, and poor server performance, which affected their gameplay experience.
- Disappointing game ending (weight 0.09): The game's ending was widely criticized as disappointing, poor, and ridiculous, leaving players with a negative impression of the overall experience.
- Negative overall impression (weight 0.07): A small number of players expressed a strongly negative overall impression of the game, describing it as terrible, boring, and non-functional.
- Poor graphics and optimization (weight 0.06): Some players criticized the game's graphics and optimization, contributing to a less enjoyable gaming experience.
- Game can be intense and frustrating (weight 0.05): The game was described as intense and frustrating at times, which could be both a positive and negative aspect depending on the player's preference.
- Language and guidance issues (weight 0.05): Some players reported difficulties understanding the language and lack of guidance in the game, leading to confusion and frustration.

Gameplay feedback:
- Cooperative and teamwork-focused gameplay (weight 0.33): The game emphasizes cooperative gameplay elements where players must work together to solve puzzles and progress through the story. This includes two-player puzzle-solving and teamwork-focused mechanics.
- High difficulty and challenging gameplay (weight 0.3): The game is known for its high difficulty and challenging puzzles, which require significant brain usage and strategic thinking. This includes complex logic-based progression and difficult gameplay mechanics.
- Diverse puzzle mechanics (weight 0.26): The game features a wide variety of puzzle types, including logic-based puzzles, motion-sensing puzzles, and time-limited puzzles. These puzzles require different skills such as logical reasoning, spatial imagination, and mechanical control.
- Communication-based mechanics (weight 0.25): Effective communication is crucial for solving puzzles and progressing through the game. Players need to use walkie-talkies and other communication tools to exchange information and coordinate their actions.
- Story-driven narrative (weight 0.17): The game features a compelling story-driven narrative that integrates with the puzzles and gameplay. Players uncover the story through various missions and interactions.
- Specific and varied levels (weight 0.09): The game includes specific and varied levels, such as water levels and cemetery levels, each with unique challenges and design elements.
- Innovative gameplay mechanics (weight 0.08): The game features innovative gameplay mechanics, including the use of torches, moral choices, and asymmetrical co-op mechanics. These elements add variety and depth to the gameplay experience.
- Unique player perspectives (weight 0.05): The game offers unique player perspectives, where each player has a different view or role, adding to the complexity and depth of the puzzles and gameplay.
- Atmosphere and emotional experience (weight 0.05): The game creates a unique atmosphere and emotional experience through its storytelling, level design, and puzzle-solving elements. This includes emotional highs and lows as players progress through the game.
- Crossplay capability (weight 0.04): The game supports crossplay, allowing players on different platforms to play together. This enhances the cooperative and multiplayer experience.
- Achievements and hidden secrets (weight 0.04): The game includes an achievements system and hidden secrets that players can discover. These elements add replay value and encourage exploration.
- Loading sequences and technical issues (weight 0.04): The game has loading sequences and some technical issues, such as bugs that cause players to skip chapters. These issues can affect the overall gameplay experience.

Performance notes:
- Network and server issues (weight 0.25): Players frequently report network issues, including disconnections, server problems, and high latency. These issues significantly impact the online gaming experience.
- Optimization and performance problems (weight 0.16): The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to frequent crashes, micro-freezes, and overall poor performance. Players note that the game runs worse than other titles and has long loading sequences.
- Game launch and stability issues (weight 0.1): Many players experience difficulties with the game not launching or working properly. This includes frequent crashes and being kicked out of sessions.
- Audio and visual bugs (weight 0.09): There are reports of sound bugs, minor visual bugs, and issues with audio design. Despite these bugs, some players appreciate the visual upgrades and audio-visual presentation.
- Interaction and save system problems (weight 0.04): Players have reported issues with the save system and difficulties interacting with objects in the game.
- Graphical settings impact (weight 0.04): Players have questions and concerns about the impact of graphical settings on performance.
- Multiplayer connectivity issues (weight 0.03): Some players have trouble joining a friend's game, which affects the multiplayer experience.

Recommendations:
- Ideal for playing with friends (weight 0.17): The game is often recommended for playing with a friend, partner, or sibling. It is seen as an ideal experience for pairs and couples.
- Highly recommended for puzzle lovers (weight 0.16): The game is frequently recommended for those who enjoy challenging puzzles and cooperative puzzle-solving experiences. It is particularly praised by fans of escape rooms and puzzle games.
- Recommended to everyone (weight 0.14): Many reviewers highly recommend the game to a broad audience, emphasizing its value and appeal to smart people, especially at a good price.
- Recommended in Russian (weight 0.04): Some recommendations are given in Russian, indicating a positive reception from Russian-speaking players.
- Check translations if stuck (weight 0.02): Suggestions to search for translation issues if players get stuck, indicating some language-related challenges.
- Save game by leaving (weight 0.02): Players are advised to leave when they get achievements to ensure the game is saved, pointing to a potential saving issue.
- Not readily recommended (weight 0.02): Some reviewers would not readily recommend the game to a friend, indicating mixed feelings.
- Play 'We Were Here Together' first (weight 0.02): Reviewers suggest playing 'We Were Here Together' first, indicating a preferred order for experiencing the series.
- Server settings for Russian players (weight 0.02): There are mentions of server settings specifically for Russian players, indicating some regional considerations.

Other player notes:
- Game series references (weight 0.04): Reviews mention other games in the series and the next game 'Where Are We?', indicating a focus on the game's place within a larger franchise.
- Irrelevant content in reviews (weight 0.04): Some reviews contain content that is not relevant to the game, such as a recipe for pea soup and mentions of personal characteristics like being Autistic.
- Technical feature on PC (weight 0.02): There is a mention of an automatic time setting feature on the PC version of the game.
- Cultural and language differences (weight 0.02): Reviews note cultural differences and language used during gameplay, highlighting the game's approach to these elements.
- Mention of the curator (weight 0.02): A review includes a note about the curator, though the context or relevance is not clear.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.29): Players are frustrated primarily due to technical issues such as bugs, server instability, and poor optimization, which lead to progress loss and connectivity problems. Additionally, the game's puzzles are frequently cited as confusing, poorly designed, and lacking in guidance, causing significant difficulty and repetition.
- Joy (weight 0.16): Players express joy mainly from the overall positive experience of playing the game, particularly when engaging with friends. The enjoyment of puzzles, the game's atmosphere, and the cooperative gameplay mechanics contribute significantly to this emotion.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.11): Enjoyment stems from the game's interesting puzzles, engaging story, and the overall immersive experience. Players appreciate the challenge and teamwork involved, as well as the game's graphics and innovative mechanics.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.08): Satisfaction is derived from the sense of achievement after solving difficult puzzles and completing the game's challenges. Players also appreciate the well-designed puzzles, engaging story, and the overall value of the game.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Excitement is generated by the engaging and challenging puzzles, as well as the emotional storytelling and memorable experiences. Players are also excited about the game's mechanics and the potential for future installments.
- Disappointment (weight 0.05): Disappointment is primarily due to the game's ending, which many players found rushed, poorly executed, or unsatisfying. Additionally, some players feel the game did not meet their expectations in terms of length and overall quality.
- Amusement (weight 0.05): Amusement comes from the humorous moments and unique gameplay experiences, such as communicating with characters and funny interactions. Players find the game's funny sounds and moments entertaining.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is caused by progress loss, wasted time due to technical issues, and poor game design. Players are also frustrated with network issues and the game's auto-save mechanism, which leads to a sense of wasted effort.
- Happy (weight 0.02): Happiness is derived from the overall positive experience with the game's features, puzzles, and engagement. Players enjoy the gratifying experience of solving puzzles and the fun gameplay.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is generated by the creative and challenging puzzles, enjoyable adventure, and teamwork. Players are also enthusiastic about the high-quality graphics, sound effects, and voice acting.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Happiness comes from the enjoyable gameplay and puzzles, as well as the warm scenes and sweet ending. Players appreciate the overall pleasant and engaging experience.
- Positive (weight 0.01): Positive feelings are derived from the enjoyment of the game's unique aspects, environments, and puzzles. Players appreciate the game's length and the overall engaging experience.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness is caused by the final scene, bittersweet ending, and the end of friendships. Players feel a sense of loss and emotional impact from these aspects of the game.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Frustration is due to issues with save points and the walkie-talkie feature, as well as the difficulty of some puzzles. Players are frustrated with the poor handling of bad connections and the lack of proper saving mechanisms.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from the lack of clear instructions and guidance in the game. Players are often unsure about what to do next or how to interpret the game's logic and storytelling.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is expressed towards the developers and friends who contributed to the positive experience. Players are thankful for the enjoyable and memorable moments provided by the game.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia comes from reflecting on the journey through the series and the good memories associated with it, despite any relationship issues. Players feel a sense of completion and reminiscence.
- Stress (weight 0.01): Stress is caused by difficult decisions, emotional toll, and high-stress levels during certain sections of the game. Players experience mental health strain and conflicts, particularly in challenging parts like the underwater section.
- Angry (weight 0.01): Anger is due to frustration with server issues and the inability to progress in the game. Players are angry about the impact of these issues on their overall experience.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Disappointment is primarily due to the game's ending and specific aspects that did not meet expectations. Players feel let down by certain elements of the game.}